How Do Bodybuilders Cut? Tips, Macro Tracking & Recovery

[Rogelio]

To lose weight, bodybuilders eat fewer calories (10–20% less than what they need to maintain their weight) and focus on getting enough protein (1–1.2g per pound of bodyweight). Keep a close eye on your macros. Get 20–25% of your calories from fats, and fuel the rest with carbs timed around your workouts. Don't cut back on your training too much; instead, focus on keeping your strength with compound movements and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep.

The right recovery plans can make the difference between losing fat and losing muscle that you've worked hard to build.

The Science of a Good Cutting Phase​

A lot of people think of cutting as just eating less and working out more, but successful bodybuilders know that there are a lot of complicated biological processes at work. When you cut calories, your body works hard to keep things in balance, which can cause hormonal changes that make it harder to maintain muscle mass.

The key is to keep track of your macros in a way that keeps protein synthesis going while slowly lowering your energy intake. To keep your muscles from breaking down, you need to eat enough protein (usually 1–1.2g per pound of body weight) and enough carbohydrates to give you energy for workouts. You should still be getting enough fat to make hormones.

This method lets your body use fat stores for energy while keeping muscle tissue safe. Science shows that moderate deficits (10–20% below maintenance) are better than extreme cuts, which can cause muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.

How to Figure Out Your Cutting Macros to Keep Your Muscles​

It is important to get the right numbers when calculating your macronutrient balance because it directly affects how much muscle you keep during a cut. To keep your lean tissue while in a caloric deficit, start by figuring out how much protein you need. Aim for 1.0–1.2g per pound of bodyweight.

Next, give fats 20 to 25 percent of your total calories to help make hormones. Carbohydrates should make up the rest of your calories because they give you energy for your workouts and help you recover. Macro tracking apps make this easier by letting you change the numbers based on how well you're doing.
Remember that these ratios don't stay fixed; recalculate them as your cut progresses. Many successful bodybuilders slowly cut back on carbs while keeping their protein intake the same. It helps them show off the body they've worked hard to build.

Strategic Nutrient Timing While Cutting​

A lot of bodybuilders only pay attention to their total daily macros, but when you eat can have a big effect on how well you cut. Strategic meal timing can help you keep your muscles and lose fat while still performing well in training.

To help you perform better and recover faster, eat most of your carbs around your workouts. Eat about 25–40% of your calories before training and 40–60% after. Maximize muscle protein synthesis by dividing your protein intake evenly across the day, aiming for 20 to 30 grams at each meal. Plan your meals ahead of time and make food in batches to make it easier to keep track of your macros.

Also, remember to drink water smartly. When you're cutting, you should drink more water, especially around training sessions. It will help your metabolism and recovery while keeping you from getting too hungry between meals.

Training Modifications to Maintain Strength While Losing Fat​

Keeping your hard-earned strength is the key to successful cutting, even though you're not eating enough calories. Your main goal should be to keep the intensity of your workouts high, even when your energy levels change. Don't switch to workouts with a lot of reps and low weights; instead, keep lifting heavy.

As your base, stick with compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses, but think about cutting back on the number of sets you do by 10–20%. During workouts, you'll have to be smart about how you use your energy. When you're fresh, do strength training first, then add metabolic conditioning work later if you need to.

Keep a close eye on your lifts to make sure you're not losing a lot of strength, which could mean you're losing muscle instead of just fat.

Recovery Plans to Keep Your Muscles from Shrinking When You're Not Eating Enough​

Your recovery plans will ultimately decide whether you keep muscle or lose it, even though the intensity of your workouts is still important during a cut. Your body needs more time to recover, not less, when you eat fewer calories.

To boost hormone production, especially growth hormone and testosterone, which are both important for keeping muscles, make sure you get 7 to 9 hours of good sleep every night. Use active recovery days with light movement, foam rolling, and stretching to get your blood flowing without putting too much stress on your body.

Don't forget how important it is to manage stress when you're in a deficit. High cortisol levels can speed up the breakdown of muscle, so make sure to include meditation, nature walks, or other ways to relax in your daily life. These recovery methods make it easy for your body to keep the muscle you've worked so hard to build while getting rid of fat you don't want.

Frequently Asked Questions​

How do bodybuilders keep their energy up when they are eating very few calories?​

To keep your energy up while severely restricting calories, you should time your carbs around workouts, use strategic refeeds, prioritize protein intake, cycle your macronutrients, take caffeine supplements, and make sure you get enough sleep.

Should natural bodybuilders and those who take steroids follow different cutting rules?​

Yes, you'll need to follow different rules. If you're a natural lifter, you should cut more slowly (0.5–1% of your body weight per week) and eat more protein. Enhanced athletes can cut faster while keeping muscle because of the drugs they take.

What makes contest prep different from a regular cutting phase?​

Contest prep is more intense than regular cutting because it has stricter calorie deficits, precise macro timing, water and sodium manipulation, and posing practice. You'll follow a detailed plan that will help you get in the best shape possible by the day of the competition.

What mental tricks do bodybuilders use to get through long cutting phases?​

Setting clear goals, imagining success, keeping track of your progress, being mindful, positively talking to yourself, building a support system, and taking mental breaks are all things that will help you get through the mental challenges that come with long cutting phases.

How do women's bodybuilders change their cutting methods compared to men's?​

You'll need to have more body fat (over 15%), lose weight more slowly, and keep a close eye on your hormones. Because your body is different from a man's, you should eat more protein, train less, and expect longer cutting phases.